Intermezzo Chamber Music Series: Concert I

Intermezzo Chamber Music Series began its season at the end of June, as it customarily does, but this is not an ordinary summer for the organization. This year, Intermezzo celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary—a quarter century of bringing artists and audiences together to create and enjoy exceptional chamber music. The milestone season opened on Monday, June 29 with music by Antonín Dvořák and Frédéric Chopin. Violinists Blanka Bednarz and Aubrey Woods, violist Alex Woods, cellist Cheung Chau, and bassist Andrew Keller joined pianist and series’ artistic director, Vedrana Subotić, to perform the evening’s program.

The string players led off with Dvořák’s String Quintet No. 2 in G major, Op. 77, a piece that embodies both exuberance and lyricism. The Allegro first movement features an expressive, spirited melody that alternates among the different instruments. This equal sharing of the melody, enhanced by the artists’ complementarity and balance in executing it, sustained my attention throughout the movement. I also loved the movement’s light, dance-like passages that culminated in rich violin melodies. In the second movement, Scherzo: Allegro vivace, sweet first violin melodies contrast with heavily accented broad strokes from the full ensemble in unison. The cello and double bass provide an intriguing rhythmic pulse underneath. These elements combine to create an intense yet optimistic sound. Similar to the first movement, the interplay between the first violin and the other instruments generated a dynamic flow that was deeply satisfying to follow. At this point in the program, the ensemble fell perfectly in sync, producing a powerful synergy that fueled their momentum for the rest of the evening. Shifting to a more relaxed pace, the Andante third movement simultaneously embodies several beautiful textures; rich resonance supports sweet, flowing melodies. The ensemble excelled at thoughtful pacing that gave the fluid melodies space to breathe, imbuing the movement with a contemplative mood. A beautiful dialogue between the first violin and cello, passionately played with lush vibrato, enriched the performance. An extremely delicate ending lingered exquisitely in the air as all of the musicians deliberately paused at the end of the movement before lowering their instuments. This made the movement particularly memorable. The final movement, Allegro assai, brings the piece to a bright, joyful conclusion through crisp notes and fast-moving passages. I appreciated the first violinist’s warm tone on the notes high on the fingerboard and the cellist’s complementing the melody of the upper strings.

Kevin Kenner’s chamber arrangement of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 occupied the second half of the program. The concerto begins with a Maestoso first movement in which a rich violin melody, supported by the lower strings, sets the stage for the piano’s dramatic entrance. The piano then shines as a near solo voice with only light strings underneath. The piano’s flowing passages and moments of increasing intensity, both energized by Subotić’s precision, thoroughly captivated me. The second movement, Larghetto, was the evening’s emotional high point. Carefully measured, slightly somber, strings prepare for the piano’s unhurried legato melody. The piano’s bass clef gently pulses, keeping time to allow the melody to move in trills and cascades. A delicate tremolo in the strings adds subtle texture. The gentleness of the strings and Subotić’s careful pacing again created room for the phrases to expand. This movement was absolutely glorious! Light, fast notes lend a joyful, whimsical quality to the concerto’s final movement, Allegro vivace. Intentionally accented notes in the piano punctuate each downward-flowing phrase while the wood of the string-players’ bows ricochets against their strings, yielding an unexpectedly gritty, organic texture. Subotić and the strings navigated this lively dialogue with effortless grace that captured the movement’s inherent joy.

Intermezzo Chamber Music Series’ milestone season continues with several performances you will want to experience. Click here for information and tickets.